Runs in your browser · nothing is uploaded

Unlock PDF

Unlock a PDF so you stop typing its password every time, or so you can print and copy from it. Enter the password once and save an unlocked copy; files that only have restrictions are unlocked without a password. Everything happens on your device.

How it works

Unlocking a PDF

Choose the PDF. It's read on your device, and the engine reports whether it needs a password to open, only has restrictions, or isn't encrypted at all.
If it needs a password, type it. A wrong password gets a clear message — you can try again.
QPDF (Apache-2.0), compiled to WebAssembly, writes a decrypted copy in a background worker, so large files don't freeze the page.
The copy is checked to make sure no encryption is left, then saved as name-unlocked.pdf.

Two kinds of PDF protection

Open password (user password): the contents are encrypted and can't be read without it. You must enter it here — it can't be skipped or guessed by this tool.
Restrictions only (owner password): the file opens freely, but readers are asked to block printing, copying or editing. These can be removed without the owner password, because the file is already readable.
Both: entering the open password is enough — the unlocked copy has neither the password nor the restrictions.

Limitations, plainly

No password cracking. If you don't know the open password, this tool can't help. Only unlock files you own or have the right to change.
Certificate-encrypted PDFs (unlocked with a digital ID rather than a password) aren't supported.
Digital signatures in the file become invalid, because the file is re-saved.
The unlocked copy is unprotected — anyone who gets it can read it. To add a new password, use Protect PDF.
Size: up to 200 MB per file. Very large files need a lot of memory and may fail on phones.

Frequently asked questions

Is my PDF or password uploaded anywhere?+

No. The PDF is decrypted in your browser by QPDF running as WebAssembly in a background worker, and the unlocked copy is saved straight to your device. The password is used only inside that worker, which is shut down when the job finishes, and it's cleared from the page afterwards.

Can this unlock a PDF if I don't know the password?+

No. If a PDF needs a password to open, you have to enter it — this tool doesn't crack, guess or bypass passwords. The one thing it can do without a password is remove permission restrictions (printing, copying, editing) from a PDF that already opens without one.

How strong was the encryption on my file?+

After you choose a file you'll see its method: AES-256 (the current standard), AES-128, or older RC4. All of them are removed the same way once the file can be opened. The unlocked copy has no encryption at all.

What do PDF permissions do, and why can they be removed without a password?+

Permissions are flags that ask readers not to allow printing, copying or editing. A file with only permissions has to be readable without a password so it can be displayed — which also means the flags can't be enforced. Removing them writes a plain copy. Only do this for files you own or are allowed to change.

I forgot the password. What can I do?+

Ask whoever made or sent the file for the password or an unprotected copy. Many bank and payslip PDFs use a pattern, such as part of your date of birth or account number, explained in the email they came with. This site can't recover passwords.

Will the unlocked PDF look different?+

No. Pages, text, images, links, bookmarks and form fields are kept exactly — only the encryption is removed. Any digital signatures become invalid, because the file is re-saved.

Is it legal to unlock a PDF?+

Removing a password from your own documents, or ones you've been given the password for so you can use them, is generally fine. Removing restrictions to get around copyright or a license may not be. Only unlock files you have the right to change.

It says my PDF isn't encrypted, but I still can't edit it. Why?+

Then the limits don't come from encryption. Your PDF app may be a reader that can't edit text, the file may carry a digital signature that makes apps lock it, or the pages may be scanned images with no text to edit. Unlocking won't change any of these.

Why is my password rejected when I know it's right?+

PDF passwords are case-sensitive, so check Caps Lock and any capital letters, and watch for a space copied along with the password from an email. If the file came with instructions for building the password, follow the exact format they give.

Why do I need to unlock a PDF before merging, compressing or signing it?+

Those tools on this site can't read encrypted PDFs — and that includes files that open without a password but carry printing or editing restrictions, because they're encrypted too. Unlock the file here first, then use the unlocked copy.

Can I change a PDF's password instead of removing it?+

Yes — use Protect PDF (tools.northlane.live/protect-pdf/). Open the file there, enter its current password and set a new one; there's no need to unlock it first.